Don`t Let Travel Schedule Become A Tyrant

June 22, 1985

William F. Theobald is a leisure and recreation expert at Purdue University. Following are his suggestions to make your vacation a success.

1. Plan your vacation. Go to the library to check out tourist guidebooks and related materials so you can decide where to go and what to do. If you plan to vacation later this summer, there`s still time to write to state tourism offices or chambers of commerce (Addresses can be found at the library).

2. Plan your vacation to go counter to the flow of normal traffic. For instance, we often go to the city on weekends when rates may be slashed by half or more. Many cities have wonderful museums, parks and art galleries. Another way to save money while vacation traveling is to have your big meal at lunch rather than dinner, which can save as much as 30 percent.

4. Have realistic vacation expectations based on the amount of time and money you can spend.

5. Don`t plan on traveling too far by car. Eighty-five percent of Americans take vacations by car, and this limits one`s traveling range. A good rule of thumb is to figure one day of driving time coming, and another going, for every week of vacation time you have.

6. When traveling with children, especially by car, have a ``survival kit`` of toys, games, puzzles, maze books, coloring books and cassette tapes to keep them happy and busy.

7. If you do vacation by car, remember to have your car checked out mechanically before you go. Nothing can ruin a vacation as completely as unexpected car trouble.

8. If any member of your family takes medication regularly, have prescriptions filled before leaving. It`s difficult to get prescriptions filled out-of-state.

9. Before you leave your home, make out and go over several checklists. Have a checklist to make sure you and the children have all necessary vacation clothes and equipment.

10. Also have a checklist of things to do before leaving home. Make sure washer hoses are disconnected, electrical appliances are turned off and disconnected, newspaper and mail delivery have been temporarily stopped, and a key has been left with a neighbor or friend.

11. Make provision for what you can do in the event of bad weather: inside activities such as visiting friends, seeing a play or going to a museum or art gallery.

12. For an informal vacation, pack clothes like underwear and socks that are just about worn out and are ready to be thrown away. This eliminates laundry and makes space for souvenirs.

13. Be flexible. Remember, you`re on vacation. You don`t have to adhere to plans and schedules. You make plans and schedules to organize your vacation for fun. But if you feel your schedule is becoming a tyrant, redo it.